by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What is that franchise that you will always check out no matter what? I am sure many of you out there are diehard fans of Marvel and DC films, right? I have a few action franchises that I will always check out… looking at you Mission: Impossible and John Wick. Maybe it is the genre fan in me that draws me in for the fun. Because there is another franchise that I am quite a fan of. Give me some creepy entities and a wonderful married couple to fight them and I am hooked! That is why I love The Conjuring so much. Even with a range in quality for the rest of the spin-offs, I am always down for taking a dive into the world that James Wan has created. Wan is the key as he created one of my favorite horror films of all time in the form of The Conjuring 2. But Wan does not return in the director’s chair for the third proper film in The Conjuring franchise.
With the new director Michael Chaves taking the reins, does The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It match the quality of the predecessors?
Unfortunately, there is something missing here. Wan is a master at creating tension and suspense. He does it even within the confines of horror tropes which The Conjuring admittedly leans into. The Devil Made Me Do It tries to deliver on the same classic horror setups, but they just lack the same level of impact. The film feels blander than any other film in The Conjuring franchise and really lacks the scares. There are still some creepy and unnerving sequences in the film (an exorcism and a waterbed are the highlights), but the film leans more heavily into a murder mystery than the haunted house, which works for the most part… when the Warrens are on screen. For a film that is right around an and 45 minutes, it really drags at times. I may be extremely biased, but whenever Ed and Lorraine Warren grace the screen, I am considerably more engaged.
But why is that? Well, that is easy… Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are the heart and soul of the franchise.
The chemistry and love between them is so tangible and organic that I have been brought into their connection from the start of the first film. They are more of a focus in the film as they are going around investigating this mystery of a curse. Wilson and Farmiga are both extremely talented actors who sell every moment. Farmiga in particular makes me believe in her ever growing “powers”… which certainly grow and become a huge focus in this film. They are genuine people who really care about helping others, but it would be nice if the other characters they were supporting were more interesting. We begin the film with a cursed child, played impressively by Julian Hilliard. I cared for this child, but once this curse transfers to Arne (Ruairi O’Connor), our suspect on trial, things become considerably less interesting on that front. Every time the narrative shifted back to Arne and his cursed existence in prison, I just wanted things to shift right back to the Warrens. John Noble also makes an appearance as a former priest, but you know exactly why he is there once he shows up.
But what is one of the trademark aspects of a film in The Conjuring franchise?
The antagonistic entity of course! Whether it is the Nun, the Crooked Man, or everyone’s favorite creepy doll, Annabelle, you have something creepy and engaging to fear. But not this one. Giving away the antagonist would dishonor the murder mystery that this film is… but it is disappointing once that mystery is resolved. The actual creatures and entities that appear are dull and will easily be forgotten. Besides a poorly written antagonist, the dialogue is also forgettable. The film is full of exposition dumps — especially tropes like having a character breaking down all of the backstory of the evil deity or entity. The general dialogue can be quite flat as well, save for a few moments that Farmiga and Wilson get to have some fun.
Is The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It a worthy addition to The Conjuring franchise?
We get to spend more time with the Warrens, which is always a treat. The bold new take on the story is a refreshing change to the tiring model of haunted houses. There are also some scares to be had as well, but the change of director was felt in this film. The lack of tension also did not do the film any favors. But in the end, if you enjoy this franchise, you will still get some enjoyment out of it.
Grade: C+